MCA vice president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said fresh election before CNY is better and no need EGM 2. However must be before 6mts as mentioned by Chua.
A tearful Chew yesterday on learning she had been dropped.
MCA vice president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai says that a date for fresh party elections is being discussed with his rivals but that plans for an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) next Saturday will proceed if no agreement is reached.
This comes after Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak met the leaders of the warring factions in MCA, including the president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat, his deputy Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek and Liow.
Najib is understood to be supportive of fresh elections in MCA to end the protracted power struggle.
The question is now one of timing as Dr Chua, who has been authorised by Ong to negotiate a date because he is now in London, prefers to have elections next year, preferably after the election model is revamped to one of direct election of the top party officials by MCA members instead of by 2,377 central delegates.
According to Dr Chua, this would require a constitutional amendment which will take another six to eight months.
Liow says, however, that it would be too late for MCA and that he cannot wait for direct elections to be put in place.
“We can’t waste so much time,” Liow told The Malaysian Insider. “We would like fresh elections if possible by the end of this year. And putting in place direct elections will take some time. We are currently discussing the date but no agreement has been reached. If we can reach a date that all parties can agree upon, then the EGM this coming Saturday will be called off.”
Liow declined to say when an agreement is expected but says that he hopes it would be “as soon as possible.”
However, Dr Chua told The Malaysian Insider that March would be the earliest possible date as the months of December to February were packed with holidays, including the school break, Christmas and Chinese New Year.
The deputy president also said that he supported fresh elections in principle but not the EGM called by Liow because the resolutions were “defective” and not enforceable.
He pointed out that, under the party constitution, fresh elections can only be triggered if two thirds of the central committee resigns but that condition was not part of any of the upcoming EGM resolutions.
Chew embarrassed to loss seat in Presidential Council.
Wanita MCA Chief Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun hopes the second Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) proposed on Nov 28, would open the prospect of a fresh election for the party leadership.
She said leaders who won in the fresh election can then hold their respective posts with pride and dignity, she said.
“The EGM can decide whether a fresh election is needed and whoever wins posts, Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat, Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai or (Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek, can hold it with dignity,” she told Bernama here today.
Chew who is also deputy minister of Women, Family and Community Development said she was disappointed with the action of MCA president Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat for dropping her from the Presidential Council on Wednesday.
She added that although she was invited to be on the Presidential Council again, it would only mean that she would be an invited member without any power to voice out her views.
Chew said it was an embarrassment to her because she was the Wanita Chief in the party and represented 38 per cent of members in MCA but the situation does not give her any opportunity to voice out her views or the views of the ministry.
According to her Senator Heng Seai Kie (Wanita MCA Secretary-general) and Tan Cheng Liang (Central Working Committee) member were appointed to the council while she would only be attending meetings upon invitation.
“They (Heng and Tan) were appointed by me but now they are in the Presidential Council while I, as the Wanita Chief and elected by members, cannot play a role as expected of a Wanita Chief,” she said.
She said it was very important to hold fresh elections in MCA so that the situation can be rectified and the process of helping Barisan Nasional to regain support from the people.-------
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